Jane Espenson writing for new season of Torchwood - Cast&Crew

This woman writes for so many good shows. Win.

That's brilliant news. So one of my favourite ME writers and one of my favourite 'House' writers writing for one of my favourite shows of last year ?

Smacks of favourite-ism.

Saje | August 06, 16:58 CET

Love her voice, love the show - fabulous news!

showgirl | August 06, 16:59 CET

Fantastic! This even makes me marginally less surly.

karosurly | August 06, 17:00 CET

Stoked!

Torchwood has been crying out for this. There has been some great writing within the show, but there has been some iffy stuff too, Jane getting onboard means a huge great ginormous tick in the plus column.

(Also hoping this means more James Marsters.)

viewingfigures | August 06, 17:08 CET

No matter which way you slice it, that's a coup for the Beeb.

Andy Dufresne | August 06, 17:14 CET

Hell yes!!!

Invisible Green | August 06, 17:18 CET

This makes me so darned happy I can hardly express it.

I love it when my fandoms come together. :)

redeem147 | August 06, 17:21 CET

Is there a small chance that the universe will implod when this happens? Just wondering.

Satai (with Punsch) | August 06, 17:22 CET

No matter which way you slice it, that's a coup for the Beeb.

I'm hoping it's a cunning plan. Starts with Jane writing for Torchwood and then she moves onto ...Ripper ;-)

A girl can dream can't she?

The Do That Girl | August 06, 17:28 CET

Well they have to bring John Hart back now :). Good for Jane and good for RTD.

Simon | August 06, 17:33 CET

Very cool news indeed!

zeitgeist | August 06, 17:38 CET

Does this mean I have to keep watching now? Well, I admit I was going to tune in just to see how they pick up the pieces leftover from season 3, but I didn't have much hopes for it. Still don't actually, but the Espisodes will probably be the better ones.

electricspacegirl | August 06, 17:41 CET

Jane Espenson and Doris Egan? Nice.

b!X | August 06, 17:47 CET

Fabulous!

Torchwood needed Jane and now just needs more Captain John

debw | August 06, 17:48 CET

Damn, this is awesome. This is such a coup for TW.

Hopefully, they bring back Rhys.

crazygolfa | August 06, 17:58 CET

I don't even know what to say, this is fabulous! <3

Tsuliwaensis | August 06, 18:09 CET

Great news! I've like pretty much everything Jane does - and I hoped Torchwood would come back in a strong way after "Children of Earth"

samatwitch | August 06, 18:15 CET

I've only seen CoE and this is nothing but good, although it leaves me curious about Caprica.

Jaymii | August 06, 18:24 CET

I would guess Torchwood is off season for Caprica.

marvelknight616 | August 06, 18:30 CET

Hopefully this will make Torchwood watchable.

fivebyfivefaith | August 06, 18:30 CET

This bodes well....a show that took a long time to fulfil it's potential (with Children of Earth) just got even better! A shame they didn't have Jane around for the first two series.

I'm still waiting for them to show Jack's 'swashbuckling hero' side a bit more, though....

Alex_Jamieson | August 06, 18:50 CET

QUALITY RISE IMMINENT! Yes!

Liam Mars | August 06, 18:52 CET

If I already wasn't excited at the prospect Of S4, especially after CoE, then this news would make me so. I love how the quality has been increasing series to series. It's already sounding like this is going to be a trend.

The Xan Man | August 06, 19:41 CET

This is great, great news. Much to look forward to. Now, I can't wait to hear some casting coups, please. Who would you like to see as the new additions?

toast | August 06, 19:46 CET

Awesome! Torchwood is amazing. I hope we get to see Martha and Mickey this season.

Riker | August 06, 20:14 CET

Seems like Espenson touches all the great stuff (or makes it that way). Yay! But it's still hard to imagine TW w/o Ianto (oh yeah, and what're-their-names?). Guess that's why Jane & RTD make the big bucks...

Volo | August 06, 20:20 CET

I love Jane Espenson and Torchwood, so this is great news! Torchwood has some great Buffy connections that definitely help the show but it's an intriguing and inventive show in its own right. Can't wait for the new season, feels like I've been waiting FOREVER.

ailiel | August 06, 20:21 CET

Wow. I was already looking forward to some new Torchwood, but it has just gone into a whole new stratosphere of awesomeness. Can't wait to hear who will be returning and who will be joining the team.

Vandelay | August 06, 20:22 CET

So looking forward to this after the awesomeness that was CoE. But it'll be weird without Ianto, was in Cardiff recently and there's a whole Ianto shrine where the Hub was filmed. Can't wait to find out who's joining the show though.

emmy | August 06, 20:41 CET

Hmm, this'll be interesting. If anyone can salvage the mess Russell T Davis made during series three it's Espenson. Now, if only they could find a way to bring back Ianto and kill off Gwen and Rhys. Do I even need to mention bringing back James Marsters? ;)

wickedwitch091 | August 06, 20:51 CET

^^ Russell T Davies made Season Three awesome. And he's running Season Four, so if you didn't like 3 you probably won't like 4.

Riker | August 06, 21:03 CET

I am watching the first episode of the series now, I'm very excited how this show goes.

Valentyn | August 06, 21:12 CET

^^ Each season is better than the last. Season One starts out shaky, but Two and Three are awesome. The experience is enhanced if you also watch Doctor Who.

Riker | August 06, 22:43 CET

I haven't been compelled to get through the show at all. Four episodes into series one and I just feel like stopping. The notion isn't helped by the fact RTD constantly says in his book that series one and two never come together very well. But I've gotta push through to get to Children of Earth, I s'pose.

The Dark Shape | August 06, 23:00 CET

Jane somehow manages to get around to every show I watch, it seems... this is great news because A) she's writing it and B) they're doing another season (didn't know that)!

archon | August 06, 23:04 CET

The Dark Shape, maybe you can just go straight to "Children of Earth", I've only seen episode 1 of series 1 and bits of the Cyberwoman one and bits of the James Marsters' one but I loved "Children of Earth" and my husband who hasn't seen any Torchwood really liked it too.

moley75 | August 06, 23:10 CET

Most of S1 of Torchwood is close to absolute crap. Most of S2 (which I only watched after CoE) is actually pretty good. CoE is close to the gold standard for televised sci-fi over the last several years.

b!X | August 06, 23:29 CET

Even though my heart broke during CoE... Please let this mean more Rhys, more John (more PC Andy Damnit!), and much less "Death for the sake of realism"... Very much looking forward to the return now, and not just because I'm a Barrowman fan-girl. :)

Avarice | August 07, 01:20 CET

I did love the season one episode 'Captain Jack Harkness.'

redeem147 | August 07, 04:49 CET

Yay! This headline makes me very excited.

Also put me down for some more Rhys and PC Andy, if at all possible.

nanceoir | August 07, 06:02 CET

People often seem to lump s2 into the same crappiness as s1, but I found it to real hit its stride during its second year with some great episodes and a couple of interesting running threads. I would definitely recommend someone watch series 2 as well as Children of Earth, although the first series could probably be missed.

Vandelay | August 07, 09:25 CET

So... Zombie Ianto or robot Ianto?

kaiuno | August 07, 09:25 CET

Yay! Love this news! Now the only thing needed for this to become the perfect show is Captain John as a regular and I'll blissfully watch into it's 100th season.

And I'm sure Torchwood will do ok in it's fourth season. It's really a show that started of as terribly silly with few and far between moments of brilliance. But there were already a lot more good eps in S2 (even if there still was the occasional mistep) and S3 was made of pure gold.

So stands to reason that S4 is going to be good as well, especially with these news.

| August 07, 12:31 CET

I'm more interested now. Although I'll never forgive them for breaking up the great ensemble cast of seasons 1&2, then finally even killing off Ianto.
Unless they put together another excellent ensemble and don't kill everyone off, this time.

Talk about Joss, he's a piker at killing off main characters, compared to whoever made those decisions on TW.

Shey | August 07, 13:03 CET

I'll watch it, but I'm having a hard time getting excited. Ianto was the only character I liked. I loved him from that wonderfully terrible Cyberwoman episode.

I never liked Gwen. And I love Doctor Who Captain Jack but there are only a few episodes of Torchwood where I find him as likable.

Sure, Joss kills off my favorite characters. But in those shows there are other characters still alive that I care about. Well, hopefully there will be a bunch of new, cool characters in the new season.

theclynn | August 07, 13:17 CET

I started watching TW with Season 2 and thought it was excellent. Then I went back and watched Season 1, which wasn't as good. But Season 2 and 3 more than make up for that.
Yes, three of the main Torchwooders are dead, but if they utilize supporting characters like Andy, Rhys, Martha, and Mickey, it will fill the void and complement the new regular characters.
I've generally liked Gwen except for her romantic feelings for Jack, so I'm glad she's part of it.
I hope US Torchwood doesn't back away from Jack getting involved in another same-sex relationship.

Riker | August 07, 15:14 CET

Jane, bring back Captain John! He could definitely help Jack get over Ianto's loss.

baxter | August 07, 15:22 CET

Oh, the awesomeness. Perfect way for me to wake up today. ;)

deepgirl187 | August 07, 16:43 CET

OMG!JANE. So much love.

On the Ianto front I vote that he comes back as the imaginary conscience (a-la Dexter's dad) of... wait for it... Gwen. B*tch deserves to be haunted a little.

Minxie | August 07, 16:43 CET

This seems like an interesting show. Do you have to be familiar with Doctor Who to really understand it? How closely are the two series intertwined? There are about 800 episodes of Doctor Who and I don't have the energy to try to watch them all...

jesse | August 07, 16:47 CET

Somebody from Dollhouse would be perfect in this. Just sayin'.

gossi | August 07, 17:10 CET

I like Gwen, and don't appreciate the name calling (even if she is fictional.) Not a word I appreciate in general (except when involving canines, not K9.)

redeem147 | August 07, 18:01 CET

jesse, I don't think you need to have seen any Doctor Who to follow Torchwood, it stands on its own by and large. Plus many of the original episodes of DW are sadly lost, so unfortunately it's not really possible to catch up entirely!

redders | August 07, 18:07 CET

True, redders, calling Andrews statement that he'd seen them all into question. (unless Warren had built a Tardis, in which case why not go back and watch Red Dwarf too?)

redeem147 | August 07, 18:33 CET

Plus many of the original episodes of DW are sadly lost, so unfortunately it's not really possible to catch up entirely!

That's entirely besides the point, since the issue would be the modern Doctor Who, not the old-school Doctor Who.

But the point of the response remains the same: there are some references, but nothing that would derail being able to follow/enjoy Torchwood if you don't watch Doctor Who.

b!X | August 07, 18:35 CET

Rhys is back, say the critics tweeting from the TCA session for Torchwood this morning.

[ edited by The One True b!X on 2010-08-07 18:37 ]

b!X | August 07, 18:37 CET

No plans for Marsters, say TCA tweeters.

b!X | August 07, 18:39 CET

I'm enjoying this Starz TCA an awful lot. It's almost on-par with the Jersey Shore one yesterday.

[ edited by Jaymii on 2010-08-07 18:41 ]

Jaymii | August 07, 18:40 CET

Color me astounded! Wishing DOES make it so ! :) After COE, there will have to be some powerful writing here, but I have faith. Torchwood on Starz will be a whole new ballgame. Batter up! I'm ready. Awesome!

AncientMagicks | August 07, 19:07 CET

oh, that's wonderful, Jane will be great for torchwood. and I must say, I like S1. it was fun even if it was,well, weird and lacking in quality,I did enjoy it. sometimes I missed the fun it had during later,serious days.

okelay | August 07, 19:08 CET

Glad to hear that Rhys is back. I met Kai recently, and he's awesome, funny, handsome and immensely huggable.

redeem147 | August 07, 20:53 CET

Sorry that Marsters isn't back. As I recall, his character could take on different names and personalities, so it wouldn't have to be 'iconic' Captain John appearing. Nonetheless, I'm sure Russell, Jane and co will do a fabulous job.

baxter | August 07, 21:33 CET

They need a new computer whizz kid, right?

bubblecat | August 08, 01:05 CET

Riker said:

I hope US Torchwood doesn't back away from Jack getting involved in another same-sex relationship.

Judging by some of the sequences Starz show on Sparticus, I'm guessing they don't have any problems with showing same sex relationships.

Vandelay | August 08, 01:19 CET

I'm hoping RTD meant that James wasn't back as a regular cast member. I doubt he has the season written.

redeem147 | August 08, 03:41 CET

It depends on what type of writer RTD is, and from what I know, he throws things at the wall and see what sticks. That could possibly mean a return of James in some form, perhaps even a cliffhanger for season 2. I'm doubtful because its been quite a while since CoE and I bet he's nailed down the story he wants to tell for this season anyway.

...Would it be referred to Season 2 or 5 now?

Jaymii | August 08, 15:01 CET

...Would it be referred to Season 2 or 5 now?

Series! This is Albion sir.

Simon | August 08, 15:11 CET

Series 5. Season 2.

Sorted.

Jaymii | August 08, 16:24 CET

I'd wondered in an idle moment what a Jane penned episode of Doctor Who would be like - but assumed that such a thing could never come to pass. But now ...

merceroz | August 09, 03:11 CET

August 06 2010